"Pittsburgh's Black and Gold" is the resurrection of a magazine that was first published in the late 70s, and ended after only a five year run. Today, nearly 30 years later and in a totally new medium, it is once again being published by Angelo Spagnolo, a lifelong Pittsburgher and avid sports fan of all teams "Black and Gold". This site is a tribute to Pittsburgh, where the home teams all wear the same uniform colors. "It's a hard-drinkin' town with an all Pittsburgh sports problem!!!"

Monday, December 7, 2009

A scantfew weeks ago people were pointing to this part of the Steelers schedule and anticipating easy victories over three of the NFL's worst teams. Instead, so far have the Steelers fallen that they are now only a loss in Cleveland on Thursday night from completing a rare trifecta...0-3 against three of the league's worst teams.

ABOVE LEFT: Seton LaSalle worldbeater, qb Bruce Gradkowski.

This game started out well enough with a long kickoff return by Stefan Logan, but the Steelers could not cash it into anything more than a field goal. Later in the half, Roethlisberger would also throw an interception in the end zone, killing another red zone attempt.

The Raiders, for their part, weren't doing anything great themselves, just "hanging around" since the Steelers were allowing it. With only a 10-6 lead at halftime, this game had a sense of foreboding throughout...and justifiably so, as it would turn out.

The third quarter was wholly uneventful. However when Pittsburgh boy, Bruce Gradkowski threw a TD pass giving Oakland an early fourth quarter lead, 13-10, you could see the Steelers offense react as though it had been hit with a cattle prod. After another nice kick return by Stefan Logan, Big Ben led the offense down the field, highlighted by a long catch and run by Santonio Holmes. Rashard Mendenhall then punched-in the ball in a determined run giving Pittsburgh the lead once again, 17-13. But soon thereafter, the offensively-challenged Raiders suddenly had found themselves again. The Steelers secondary, resembling a sieve more than a defense, allowed another Gradkowski-led score "lowlighted" by a 75 yard pass and run to Louis Murphy, giving the Raiders the lead once again, 20-17.

Not to be deterred, Big Ben marshalled yet another drive downfield, highlighted by another long pass play to Holmes complete with a Hines Ward-style, earhole wipeout block by wide receiver Mike Wallace. Wallace actually took out two defenders at one time, thus allowing Santonio to tack on another 20 yards. Hines Ward then beat a defender at the line of scrimmage and caught a beautiful pass in stride in the end zone giving the Steelers a spirited 24-20 lead.

Unfortunately for the Steelers though, they had to once again rely on their suddenly-anemic defense to save the game and as has happened so many times this year, they simply could not do it.

William Gay was knocked unconscious by Ryan Mundy when Mundy inadvertently crashed into the unsuspecting Gay's face. Gay's head bounced violently across his shoulders and there were a few moments where there was even a concern that Gay might have suffered a serious neck injury.

The Steelers defense, kneeling, holding hands in a circle, said a brief prayer for their teammate who moments later sat up, then got to his feet. For those who have been calling for Gay to be benched, his replacement, rookie Joe Burnett showed why he hasn't been playing. In one of the worst drops in league history, he let the world's easiest interception ever drop pathetically to the ground, thus giving Oakland another chance.

With only 15 seconds now left to play, Gradkowski, looking like his next stop will be Canton, hit Murphy again with an 11 yard pass this time and the winning score. This completed yet another horrible collapse by the Steelers once-proud defense. This unit is playing without Aaron Smith, Troy Polamalu and last year's starting cornerback Bryant McFadden. However, these fourth quarter collapses have been so pervasive this season that it has led to questions about conditioning, particularly among the defensive backs. After allowing the Raiders a total of six points during the first three quarters, this latest roof cavein accounted for 21 points in the fourth.

While you can't take anything away from gutsy Pittsburgher Bruce Gradkowski, the Steelers secondary has suddenly turned into the league's "perfect tonic for whatever ails your offense."The defense's slide, while shocking, should be surprising to no one. In a league where there is no such thing as a secret, everyone knows that the Steelers are very vulnerable in the secondary. All you need to do is hang close until the fourth quarter when they can't seem to cover anyone anymore.

The loss caps off a completely horrible sports week for Pittsburgh. Just consider these headlines:

"I hear you could scratch my back with a hacksaw!!!"

Mellon Arena

Another Pittsburgh Icon soon to be blown up. They should've made this into the "North Pole Casino". It would've been great!

Chuck Tanner Figurine

Quite possibly the worst sports likeness ever foisted upon the figurine-bobblehead collecting public

Pittsburgh Icon WITH HIS ICON

Waving The Icon He Created ! God Bless You Myron!

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If you're a new reader of "Pittsburgh's Black and Gold" I'd love to hear your comments! You can either leave a comment on an individual article or email me directly if you have a story or link at: angelospagnolo66@hotmail.com. I hope you enjoy reading "Pittsburgh's Black and Gold" as much as I enjoy composing it!

Jack "Splat" Lambert

"Count Dracula In Cleats". I wonder how he feels about Hines Ward getting fined for hitting people too hard?

Maz Bobblehead

Doesn't Look Like Him at all.

"The Mendoza Line"

Baseball's Equivalent of the Worst Avid Golfer. I'd like to meet him, but it could cause a crack in the "space-time continuum".

"The Poison Brothers"

We Miss You Myron

About Me

I'm well known for my golf exploits as "America's Worst Avid Golfer" (Golf Digest Magazine, 1985). I took 66 strokes on the island hole at the TPC in Florida (losing 27 balls in the process) thus the 66 on my profile. For the whole gristly story: http://commodoreclub.org/administrative/257_for_18_holes.htm/

"Beat the Broncos...

DICK GROAT

Falling Below Mendoza Line

"P.B.& G." Editor brings another title home to Pittsburgh in 1985 as "Worst Avid Golfer". Click on the photo to see CBS' coverage!

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"Pittsburgh's Black and Gold" is a regularly published blog site that is not sponsored or endorsed by any of the teams that it reports on (Steelers, Penguins, Pirates). All pictures are used here without prior permission. However, if we have used your picture and you would like us to take it down, we will gladly comply with your request. Our mission statement at "PB&G" is to provide an additional insight into all things Black & Gold both for current Pittsburgh residents and for those transplanted Pittsburghers who will always call "The 'Burgh" home.